Paper phasing mechanism



June 9, 1964 C. J. ANTONUCCI PAPER PHASING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 11, 1961Tucrl- 7 ATTORNEY 3,136,466 PAPER PHASING IVIECHANISM Carmine J.Antonucci, Uniondale, N.Y., assignor to PotterInstrumentCompany,InmyPlainview, N.Y., a corporation of New'York Filed-13ec.-1-1, 1961, Ser. No. 158,506 1 Claim. (Cl. 22'6-111) The presentinvention, generally, relates to high speed printer apparatus and, moreparticularly, to a mechanism for adjusting tension in the printing paperfor such high speed printer apparatus.

In apparatus for printing out information received at a rapid rate, forexample, from a computer, usually two pairs of paper drive tractors areprovided, one pair on each side of the printing drum. Either at the timethe paper is fed into the apparatus initially or while the printerapparatus is operating, it is desired to adjust the tension in the paperon which characters are printed.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a mech anism for adjustingthe phase of paper feed tractor drives on each side of a printing drumin high speed printer apparatus.

t is also an object of the invention to provide a paper phasingmechanism that may be adjusted even when the printer apparatus is inoperation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism foradjusting the phase between treads of two separate drive tractor treads.

Briefly, an arrangement in accordance with the present inventionincludes at least two spaced apart drive means for moving a printingmedium through a printer apparatus and a single flexible belt meansconnected between the two spaced apart drive means. An arrangement ofidler pulleys is positioned intermediate the spaced apart drive means inwhich two idler pulleys are spaced apart from each other on one side ofthe belt means, and two idler pulleys are spaced apart similarly on theopposite or return side of the belt means. These four idler pulleys aresupported in a relatively fixed position to guide the belt means informing a loop about a third idler pulley, one located between each pairof the first-mentioned idler pulleys. The third or intermediate idlerpulleys are supported on a slidable member so that they may be shiftedmore to one side or the other of the belt means to accomplish ashortening or lengthening of the belt means on one side or the other, asdesired.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to one skilled in theart to which the invention pertains from the following detaileddescription of the presently preferred embodiment thereof which isdescribed in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which similarreference characters represent corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial plan view of paper driving tractors to move printingpaper through a high speed printer;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view taken along the line 33 in FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the numerals 10 and11 represent side walls providing a suitable support within a housing(not shown) in which United States Patent Patented June 9, 1964 "ice aweb of printing paper 12 is adapted to be moved. While the web 12 isreferred to as paper, it is understood that any medium on whichcharacters may be processed is included within the term paper.

In the preferred form. of the invention, a pair of belt tractor-treads13 and 14 are spaced apart from similar tractor-treads 15 and 16 so thata printing drum (not shown) may be positioned between the two pairs oftractor-treads. The two pairs of tractor-treads 13-14 and 1516 arepowered from a common source, indicated by a motor 17, which turns ashaft 18 by means of a belt 19.

A flexible belt 21) is located around a suitable pulley 21 on the powershift 18 and connections with a suitable pulley 22 on a shaft 23 forsupplying the common power source 17 with the second pair oftractor-treads 1516.

An arrangement of idler pulleys intermediate the pulleys 21 and 22 isshown better in FIG. 2 of the drawings where it is seen that idlerpulley 24 is spaced from a second idler pulley 25 on one side of thebelt 20, and an idler pulley 26 is spaced from a similar idler pulley 27on the opposite side of the belt 20. A third idler pulley 28 ispositioned somewhat between the first two pulleys 24 and 25 and asimilar idler pulley 29 is located somewhat between the two pulleys 26and 27. However, the two pulleys 2425 on one side of the belt 20 and thetwo pulleys 26-27 on the opposite side of the belt 20 are supportedrotatably in a fixed position as contrasted with the movable support bar31 on which the pulleys 28 and 29 are rotatably supported.

It may be seen now that if the bar 30 is moved to the right, as viewedin FIG. 2, the pulley 28 moves closer between the two pulleys 24 and 25permitting the belt section 20a to move upwardly and the belt section20b to move downwardly. At the same time, belt section 200 will moveupwardly as the pulley 29 moves to the right, and the belt section 20dwill move downwardly.

The result of this adjustment permits the paper engaging elements ornobs 31 on the upper tractor-treads 14-15 to move slightly upwardly onthe side adjacent the paper 12 and the paper engaging elements or nobs32 adjacent the paper 12 on the lower tractor-treads 15-16 to move inthe opposite direction. By shifting the moveable bar 30, the spacingbetween the nobs 31 and the nobs" 32 are adjustable first to match theopening in the edges of the paper 12 and, secondly, with the paper inplace, to adjust paper tension.

A suitable handle 33 is an example of one means for adjusting theposition of the moveable bar 30, and as best seen in FIG. 3, a bar 34with an off-center pin 35 engaged in an opening 36 in the moveable bar31 is adapted to move the bar 30 to the left or to the right as viewedin FIG. 2. Any suitable mounting may be provided for the moveable bar31), it being shown in FIG. 1 that a groove 37 is formed between fixedbars 38 and 39 in which the moveable bar 39 is adapted to be slidable.

The belt 20 may be any suitable flexible element, and preferably, aplurality of teeth or ridges 40 should be formed on the inside surfaceof the belt 20 to engage grooves 41 in the pulley 21 and in the pulley22.

The following claims are intended to define the valid scope of theinvention under the prior art and to cover all changes and modificationsfalling within the true spirit and valid scope of the invention.

' 3 4 What is claimed is: means to support said idler pulleys rotatablyin a In a high speed printer apparatus including a first pair relativelyfixed position, of tractor tread elements and a second pair of tractor abar slidable transversely between the two pairs of tread elements spacedfrom the first pair a predetermined idler pulleys, distance to move aweb of paper in a printer apparatus 5 a pair of intermediate idlerpulleys rotatably mounted and means to adjust the phasing ofcorresponding treads on said bar and spaced apart from each other abetween said first pair of tractor tread elements and said distancesufiicient to develop loops in both sides of second pair, said belt-likemeans,

said phasing means comprising a flexible belt-like and handle meansattached to said slidable bar to adjust means connected between saidfirst and second pairs 10 the position of said bar for altering themagnitude of tractor tread elements so that a lineal movement of the psdeveloped by said pulleys. in one pair of tractor tread elements isaccompanied by a movement of equal magnitude in the second ReferencesCited in the file of thls patent pair of tractor tread elements, UNITEDSTATES PATENTS a first pair of idler pulleys spaced apart from eachother 15 2 0 0 57 5 perry May 18, 1 along one side of said belt-likemeans, 2,212,348 L di t A 20 1940 a second pair of idler pulleys spacedapart from each 2,347,900 Frazer-Nash et al May 22, 1944 other along theopposite side of said belt-like means, 3,049,276 Wilkins Aug. 14, 1962

